Monika Oborná, an MP for the ANO movement, is a member of the Committee on European Affairs and chair of the Interparliamentary Friendship Group with Slovakia. She claims that despite some cooling, the relations between the two countries remain at a high level.
I assume you were not too fond of the statements or positions of some of our government representatives regarding the elections in Slovakia and other developments in our neighboring country?
I don‘t like it when politicians act superior and behave arrogantly. How Petr Fiala‘s government is acting towards Slovakia, and even Hungary, is scandalous. I could understand it if the government had some successes to back it up, but it certainly does not. Poland is economically crushing us, Hungary is attracting foreign investments one after another, and Slovakia? It secured the EU trade commissioner post that Petr Fiala claimed would be ours, supposedly already agreed upon with Ursula von der Leyen. As we see, it wasn‘t, and the outcome makes Petr Fiala look like an unsuccessful regional team coach trying to lecture Champions League coaches. Destroying close political ties just because the political leadership doesn‘t align ideologically is foolish. Fortunately, people see through the “value-based” declarations of SPOLU and STAN and will not let their friendly relationship with Slovaks be taken away.
What are your political interactions with Slovak colleagues like?
Politics is about people, and as chair of the interparliamentary group for Slovakia, I can say that every meeting with MPs from the National Council is very pleasant and friendly. We realize we are the countries with the closest of ties, and it‘s evident that none of us wants a few individuals in government to ruin these extraordinary relations. However, I must admit that I sense some astonishment on their part regarding our government‘s rhetoric. From a diplomatic perspective, they consider it a faux pas.
You are also a member of the Interparliamentary Group for the USA in the Chamber of Deputies. What do you think of the outcome of their presidential election?
I‘m pleased with it. Like many of my friends in the U.S. with whom I‘ve spoken, I see it as good news for both the Czech Republic and the European Union. Donald Trump is a politician who is clear about what he wants and what he will stand for. I understand that some politicians and the media supporting them are panicking because their world has collapsed. But that‘s how it goes.
Did you follow the election battle closely?
If I said I watched it in detail, I wouldn‘t be truthful. But I followed the campaign because it‘s a masterclass in marketing. Many elements have already been highlighted in the media, but for me, there‘s one more aspect that hasn‘t been discussed much here: Donald Trump‘s ability to laugh at himself and show voters he isn‘t just a stiff talking head. Overall, the campaign was fascinating, including the major failure of traditional media.
Do you believe his election will help calm the global situation? What do you expect in terms of his approach to Ukraine?
Regarding Ukraine, it must be said that ordinary Americans are no longer as emotionally invested as they were in 2022. At that time, half the population considered it a crucial issue; today, according to the Pew Research Center, it‘s only a third. Recently, the Wall Street Journal published a study showing that Americans prefer Trump‘s Ukraine policy over Harris‘s, with a 50 to 39 percent split. On the other hand, Donald Trump has had several foreign policy successes, particularly in the Middle East, which the U.S. traditionally views as vital. So yes, I believe there will be some calming, but certain costs will fall on Europe.
We will have a parliamentary election in autumn 2025, and ANO is currently leading the polls by a wide margin. What do you make of this?
I approach these polls humbly, as do my colleagues. However, given that the current government has delivered on exactly zero of its promises, I understand the voters‘ frustration. Life in Czechia is just objectively expensive under Petr Fiala‘s government. I don‘t understand how ODS or STAN politicians fail to see this.
You were once a member of the Supervisory Board of the State Agricultural Intervention Fund. If the ANO movement joins the government next year, what will it do for farmers?
First and foremost, we must strengthen their competitiveness. It‘s absurd that Czech farmers have worse conditions than their colleagues in the EU. That‘s unacceptable. And then there‘s the big task – lowering energy prices, which are crushing the entire Czech industry. I think the ANO movement has repeatedly shown that it values entrepreneurs because they, including farmers, are the only ones who can jumpstart economic growth.
Last year, you set several goals for this year, such as improving your language skills and traveling around Czechia. Have you managed to achieve them?
It‘s an ongoing process. But this year, I even dusted off my French, and I admit it must have been quite painful for those around me at first. But yes, I‘m working on my language skills. And as for beautiful places in Czechia? Vysočina is the best. The area around Žďár and Havlíčkův Brod is truly stunning – I can highly recommend it.
ACROSS MY VYSOČINA
One of the few winter sports Monika enjoys is skiing. „I‘m from Vysočina and love cross-country skiing,“ she says. „I already have my skis ready for this winter, just waiting for the first snow. For me, time spent in nature is a way to fully detox and cleanse mentally. Vysočina is a very specific region, and in winter, it always provides us with tough conditions, but we‘re used to it and there‘s probably nothing left that could surprise us. I sometimes joke that the original inhabitants of Vysočina must have been Inuits.“
CV BOX
Monika Oborná (born April 2, 1989, in Třebíč) is an MP for the ANO 2011 movement.
She graduated from the Faculty of AgriSciences at Mendel University in Brno, earning am M.Sc. degree. Since 2013, she worked as an assistant to the Minister for Regional Development, Věra Jourová, and as a project manager at AGRO 2000.
She is a co-founder of the ANO 2011 movement. Between 2014 and 2018, she served as a member of the municipal assembly in Náměšť nad Oslavou. She was elected to the Chamber of Deputies in autumn 2017 with over 2,500 preferential votes and defended her seat in the last election.
She lives in Vysočina, is single, and enjoys cycling, running, horseback riding, and inline skating. She is learning to play golf and occasionally goes to the gym.
